Consumer products are sold in packaging of various shapes, sizes, and materials of construction. Some of these products do not fit in conventional shopping bags when purchased at a store. By way of example, these products may be too large for a bag, too heavy, or a combination of both. For example, a stand mixer is a heavy product (weighing approximately twenty-five pounds) that is typically sold in a cardboard box approximately sixteen inches by twenty inches by twelve inches. Bulky packages are particularly the norm at so-called warehouse or club stores such as Costco Wholesale, BJ's Wholesale Club, or Sam's Club. In these stores, products are typically sold in bulk, which results in large packages for many types of products. For example, paper towels or tissue products may come in packages containing eight rolls or more. An eight count package of paper towels is approximately twenty-two inches by twelve inches by twelve inches. Consumers desire a convenient way to carry and to move these products, for example, from the store to home.
One way to facilitate the movement of these products is to integrate handles into the packaging. For example, a cardboard box may have perforations in the side of the box that allow a section to be punched out and used as a hand hold.
Another way to facilitate movement is to attach handles to the package, with a pressure sensitive adhesive. One such handle is described in U.S. Patent Appln. Pub. No. 2012/0145733. This handle has a dog-bone or an hour-glass shape that is narrower at a grip portion and wider at an attachment portion. Another such handle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,032,986. This handle is built from three main layers. In its initial condition, a flexible handle is folded between a top layer and a bottom layer. The top layer has a hole through which the flexible handle may be unfolded and used to carry a package. The hole is covered with a protective plastic covering while the flexible handle is in the folded state. Each of the layers is connected to the other layers with a pressure sensitive adhesive, and the bottom layer is attached to a package through a pressure sensitive adhesive. Still another handle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,397. This patent describes a band that completely or partially encircles a package. The band itself may serve as a handle, or a strap may be attached to the bands to serve as the handle. Yet another handle is a carry handle available from 3M Company of St. Paul, Minn. This handle is a single strap of plastic with a paper backing. Each end of the strap can then be attached to a package using a pressure sensitive adhesive.
While packages incorporating the handles described above are useful for moving the packages, they have disadvantages for subsequent storage of the products. With products purchased in bulk at a club store, for example, consumers often desire to store the products in the original packaging and take out a single product as needed. The original packaging can provide a convenient way to keep the products together and to protect the products from dirt or damage. The handles described above, however, get in the way of removing the product from the package, and consumers are required to remove the handles. Frequently, removing the handles tears a hole in the side of the package and the package thus no longer protects the products contained inside. There is, therefore, a need for an improved package with a handle that allows a consumer to access products within the package.